


Home, Where the Heart Is

by SasuNarufan13



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Birthday fic for Naruto, Implied Bullying, Lemon, M/M, Medical diagnosis of ADHD, Naruto's pov, Short implied references to violence, Slash, So no shinobi, Time Skips, angst at the start
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2017-12-17
Packaged: 2019-01-15 19:28:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 21,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12327342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SasuNarufan13/pseuds/SasuNarufan13
Summary: Naruto never had a family - until he meets Sasuke, who turns his life upside down. And Naruto wouldn't have it any other way.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author's note: This is a birthday fic for our sunshine and resident fox, Naruto! I came up with the idea two days ago and figured, why not write it for his birthday? LOL This was originally supposed to be a oneshot, but I doubt I would have been able to post it on time, so a two-shot it will be! *coughs*
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like this first part!

_Part 1_

Naruto was five years old when he fully comprehended that his parents would never come back to him. It had been one of the older boys at the orphanage who had told him.

"They're not coming back, stupid," Hiro scoffed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. There were two holes in his trousers, his scuffed knees poking through them. His muddy brown eyes squinted down at the small, blond boy.

Naruto puffed up his cheeks, staring at the older boy angrily. "You don't know that!" he yelled, clenching his fists. "They'll come - "

"They're dead," Hiro stated bluntly, rolling his eyes. "I heard Mother talking about it. You know what 'dead' means, right?"

"You- you're lying!" Naruto snapped and ran away before Hiro could spot the tears brimming in his eyes. Panting, he rushed towards the main building, desperate to find Mother to get real answers. Hiro was lying, right? His parents were still alive and they would come back for him. He was sure of that! He just needed to be patient for a bit longer and then -

He caught sight of shoulder-length, light brown hair which was mostly covered by a while coif near the kitchen. He made a beeline for the woman dressed in her regular outfit of a black, loose gown and a white apron. Emerald green eyes peered down at him in surprise through a pair of circular glasses when he stumbled to a stop next to her.

"Something you need, Naruto-kun?" Mother asked curiously. She grew alarmed when she noticed the sheen of tears in his deep blue eyes. "What happened, sweetheart? Was someone mean to you?"

"My mummy and daddy are coming back, right?" Naruto asked in a rush, clenching the folds of her gown in his small fists. "They're not dead, right? I can go back to them?" He gazed up at her in desperation, needing her to laugh and reassure him that of course, his mummy and daddy were coming soon to get him. Hiro was just being mean; he didn't know what he was talking about. Soon, very soon, his parents would come back for him and then he would get to laugh right in stupid Hiro's face before leaving with them.

Her face changed, growing sad, and she knelt down next to him, resting her hands on his shoulders. "Naruto-kun, I'm sorry, but your parents can't come get you," she said softly. "They went to heaven a couple of years ago."

"They-they're not coming back?" he stammered, his sight becoming incredibly blurry before hot tears started making a trail down his cheeks; his lower lip quivering. His belly and chest started to hurt as sobs tore through him; his shoulders shaking.

She shook her head, regarding him with soft eyes. "No, sweetheart, they're not. I'm sorry." She tugged him into one of her warm hugs, letting him cry and gasp against her shoulder as she rubbed soothingly over his back and made shushing sounds.

Naruto was five years old when he realised he was alone in this world.

* * *

He started attending the big boy school a couple of months after he turned six years old.

He still lived in the orphanage as so far no new daddy or mummy had wanted to bring him home with them. Sometimes Mother dressed him up in beautiful, pristine clothes and then he got to talk and play with the couple in the Test Room, as the orphans had taken to calling it. The Test Room was the place where you went to for a few hours when a mummy and daddy were interested in you. There you played with them and talked with them and then at the end of the visit, they would decide whether to take you home with them or not.

Several girls and boys of all ages had already gone to their new home with their new mummy and daddy, but Naruto wasn't one of them. Every time a new daddy and mummy came to visit the orphanage and asked to meet him, he did his best to make them like him, and while they played with him and always seemed nice, they never took him home with them. He didn't understand why; wasn't he good enough? Wasn't he sweet or smart enough?

"Don't worry about it, Naruto-kun," Mother would reassure him each time he watched the couple leave the orphanage without him. "One day, you'll have a nice family of your own. They're waiting for you out there, I'm sure, and one day you'll meet them."

It hurt, though. He just wanted a family, people he could call his mummy and daddy. They would never replace his real parents, no, never, but was it that bad of him that he just wanted to have a home?

When he started attending school, he resolved to himself that even if he didn't have parents - _yet_ \- he would make great friends, best friends who could be his family. They would play together every day, tell each other their secrets, and have many adventures! They would be the best friends in the entire world and nobody would come between them!

Making friends turned out to be a lot more difficult than he had expected.

Starting from the first day, he tried talking to everyone in his class, trying to find that one special person - it didn't matter whether it was a boy or a girl! - who would like him back and who would want to be friends with him.

None of the children, however, wanted to talk to him. They didn't want to play with him either, no matter which toy he had or which game he suggested they could play and he knew a lot of games! Mother had always said he had a great imagination and was good at coming up with fun games to play. But they didn't want to listen to him. They turned away from him whenever he approached them or simply walked away when he was in the middle of a sentence. They refused to let him join a game and when the teacher told them to form groups in order to work on an assignment, he was always left alone.

Naruto tried and tried and tried, but no matter what he did, no matter what he said, they just didn't like him.

He refused to give up, though. Maybe if he just tried hard enough, showed them how much fun he could be, maybe then they would want to be his friend.

"Look, we don't want to play with you, okay?" Tobi snapped annoyed, snatching the ball off the ground.

It was recess with only two hours of school left before they were finished for the day.

Naruto's grin faltered and his eyes shot between the group, not understanding the foul looks on their faces. "What? Why not?"

"You're way too loud and annoying," Tobi complained, clutching the ball to his stomach. "It's like you always have to talk!"

"Yeah," Ino chimed in, flicking her long, blonde ponytail over her shoulder. She wrinkled her small nose and pointed at his cheeks. "Plus your face looks weird with those lines. Do you draw them on you every morning?"

Naruto's hands shot up to cover the whisker like scars on his cheeks, feeling the thin, smooth lines etched into his skin. "They're scars," he muttered embarrassed, pressing his hands harder to his cheeks. For as long as he could remember he had had those scars; apparently he had got them in the same accident that had sent mummy and daddy to heaven. He hadn't minded the scars, because Mother always said they made him look like a fox and foxes were cool.

"You're always moving around as well," Shikamaru grimaced from his spot underneath the large, thick tree, where he usually lounged during recess. The spiky haired boy never seemed interested in moving around much, preferring to sleep. He still had the best marks of the class, though, which Naruto didn't understand. If Shikamaru always slept, how come he was so smart then?

"You're so slow to learn things - sensei always has to explain things three times to you!"

"And why do you always wear orange? Don't you have any other clothes?"

Sakura, the pink haired girl he thought was quite pretty, giggled, hiding her mouth behind her hands. "My mum says you don't have a mum or a dad, is that true?"

Naruto opened his mouth, but nothing came out; his throat constricting and his chest felt weird.

"No wonder you're so weird!"

"You're so annoying, why don't you stop bothering us?"

"Who'd want to play with a weird kid like you?"

Honing laughter rang through the playground before they walked away, separating themselves into smaller groups, talking animatedly with each other.

Leaving Naruto standing there alone.

* * *

He squatted down behind the corner; the open door of Mother's office allowing him to hear their voices ringing loud and clearly through the corridor.

"Any particular reason?" Mother asked. "You seemed to have fun playing with him."

The lady, who had coloured pictures with Naruto, replied wearily, "Look, I'm sure he's a lovely boy, it's just ... I don't think we can be the parents he needs."

"He was constantly fidgeting, couldn't sit still the entire meeting," the man added with a sigh and there was the creaking sound of a chair. "He seems to have more energy than other children his age and we're afraid we won't be able to muster up the patience to deal with that."

"We also looked at his report cards and well," the lady hesitated before continuing, "it appears that he has a lot of trouble with learning. His marks are on the low side and the sensei keeps adding remarks that he can't sit still nor does he seem to understand the subject material on the same level as the other children. We would have to hire a tutor to get him up to speed and we simply don't have that money now. I'm sorry, but we can't give him the attention and care he requires."

They continued talking, but Naruto stopped listening and sneaked upstairs to his room. There he crawled in his bed and hid himself underneath the covers, listening to some of the other children playing outside and others walking through the corridor outside his room.

He had tried so hard to be good for the lady and her husband! If he couldn't have friends, he could at least have a family of his own. He had tried to not be so loud, remembering his classmates' comments, but he had just been so excited to meet the couple, especially because the lady had had blonde hair like him. He hadn't been able to sit still, though, no matter how hard he had tried; he always felt restless, no matter what he did. He couldn't help it! If he didn't move, he felt like he would go crazy. Like there were bees buzzing underneath his skin.

He had tried his best, but it seemed like no matter what he did, it was never good enough.

Would he never find someone who could like him?

* * *

Naruto had just turned eight years old when the sensei announced that a new student would be joining their class. Instantly the whole class was buzzing with excitement, eager to find out who this mysterious new student was who had enrolled into the school this late into the new year.

The door opened and most students leant forwards over their desks in anticipation. A pale boy, whose black blue hair was spiked up in the back, entered the classroom quietly; his dark eyes roaming across the eager faces of his classmates. He walked to the front of the class, in front of the black board, and bowed slightly.

"Class, this is Uchiha Sasuke. He and his family have just moved into this town; I hope you'll make him feel welcome," Iruka-sensei smiled, throwing them a warning look.

"Nice to meet you," Sasuke murmured and several girls giggled and softly squealed, staring at him with glittering, large eyes and blushing cheeks. The majority of the boys couldn't seem to decide whether to glare at him or welcome him.

Iruka-sensei looked around contemplatively, his fingers tapping on his desk. "Where should we seat you?" he wondered aloud and immediately several hands shot up in the air, waving at the sensei.

"Here, Iruka-sensei! He can sit with me!"

"No! With me!"

The students started bickering, some even going as far as pushing their actual seatmate off their chair in an attempt to free it for the new student. Iruka-sensei closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, and sighed loudly.

"All of you, be quiet and sit back down!" he yelled and his angry tone was enough to silence them all immediately. They all knew better than to anger the older man further.

Satisfied that his class was silent once more, Iruka-sensei nodded and his gaze went over the classroom, before he smiled and pointed at an empty seat in the last row. "Why don't you go sit next to Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun?" he suggested and that elicited another uproar as students demanded to know why the new student had to be seated next to the weirdo.

As Iruka-sensei dealt with the class, growing steadily redder and redder in his face when they refused to listen to him, the dark haired boy made his way to the last row. He placed his bag on the floor and took the empty seat next to Naruto, glancing at him quickly.

Naruto refused to look back and kept doodling instead on his mathematics questions, only half paying attention to Iruka-sensei yelling at the others. It had been two years and he still hadn't made any friends in this class or in any of the other ones; one new kid wasn't going to change that. Not once the rest of the class got their claws into him.

Naruto bent his head lower over his paper, pressing down harder with his pen until he nearly ripped a hole into the paper. Iruka-sensei finally got everyone settled down enough to start with the first lesson of the day; some of the students turned their heads to throw foul looks at the blond boy behind them, clearly annoyed that the 'stupid kid' had the new student sitting next to him.

Uchiha only looked away once Iruka-sensei started writing on the black board.

* * *

Carefully Naruto tipped the water can and watched how a small stream slipped between the two flowers and wetted the ground, darkening it. Some drops landed on the bright rose petals and he watched as if hypnotised how the drops trembled for a few seconds on top of the silky soft petals before slipping down into the core of the flower.

It was lunch and his packaged bento was waiting for him against the wall. Like he had been doing since the start of the new school year, he was watering his plants and removing any dead leaves. His plants were on the roof of the school. He had been hiding up here ever since he had realised that he would never have a friend in his class. He had discovered the entrance to the roof by accident when he had been wandering around in the empty hallways during lunch. Being alone on the roof was preferable to being forced to watch how everyone in his class had their own group of friends to talk with, but none of them cast him a second glance.

Iruka-sensei had found him here a month into the new school year and had first tried to convince him to go back downstairs, stating that it wasn't safe up here. Naruto had refused, however, and his stubbornness had won with the older man allowing him to keep a small garden up here to keep himself occupied.

He liked taking care of his flowers; they were beautiful and smelt lovely and most importantly: they didn't make fun of him.

The door swinging open startled him and he nearly dropped his water can. Quickly he looked up and froze when dark eyes stared straight into his blue ones.

Uchiha tilted his head to the right and stepped onto the roof, letting the door fall shut behind him. His gaze scanned the blooming flowers before gliding over Naruto and resting on the lonely bento box near the wall.

"You're not eating lunch downstairs?" he inquired blankly. He was holding his own bento box in his right hand.

Naruto shrugged and shook his head. "I always come here during lunch," he muttered, placing the empty can on the ground before plucking some dead leaves from between the flower stems. _And during recess too_ , he added mentally, but saw no need to say that aloud.

There was silence for a moment with the blond boy focusing on his flowers. He swallowed and stared down at his hands when footsteps approached him, walking past him. The back of his neck pricked and he turned his head slightly, giving in to the curiosity brimming in him. What was Uchiha doing?

The boy in question walked to the wall - which reached his shoulders - and sank down on the ground, next to Naruto's discarded lunch box. Calmly he placed his own box on his lap and opened it, revealing three perfectly shaped onigiri and for some reason, a bunch of cherry tomatoes. He picked up the first onigiri and started eating it.

Just like that.

Dumbfounded Naruto stared at him; his hands hovering above his flowers. "What are you doing?" he asked in a strangled voice when it became clear that the dark haired boy was not going to get up any time soon.

Uchiha quirked an eyebrow. "I'm eating lunch; what does it look like?" he asked flatly in return.

"But - but don't you want to do that downstairs?" Naruto asked confused, glancing back at the closed door. "Our classmates are excited to talk with you."

The dark haired boy grimaced as if tasting something foul. "They're too pushy," he grunted, picking up his second onigiri. "Especially the girls. I like it up here; it's quiet."

That definitely stumped Naruto, because the word 'quiet' was not something used near him. Dazed he turned his attention back to his flowers, looking for any wayward leaves. He remained hyper aware of the other boy's presence, though, and he barely dared to breathe; feeling stranger the longer Uchiha kept sitting there. None of their other classmates had ever willingly sat near him for this long already without complaining about his talking or his fidgeting.

"Don't you need to eat?" Uchiha broke the silence and when Naruto turned his head, he was subjected to intense scrutiny of dark eyes. Uchiha nodded towards Naruto's lunch. "You haven't eaten yet," he pointed out calmly. He added, "And lunch hour is almost over."

"I - eh, no, I haven't eaten yet," Naruto stammered, wiping his hands over his trousers. "I was just, eh, ..."

"Come sit down and eat your lunch with me then," Uchiha ordered; his gaze straying back towards his own lunch.

For a moment Naruto stood there stunned; the words echoing in his mind, bouncing back and forth. Had he heard correctly? He had misheard the other boy, right? _Nobody_ ever wanted to share lunch with him; not willingly at least.

Uchiha looked up and narrowed his eyes a bit. "Well? What are you waiting for? Sit."

Before he realised what he was doing, Naruto hurried towards the wall and practically fell down on his arse, landing right next to his lunch. The flash of pain shooting through his back as his butt connected with the ground hard didn't even register as he gaped at the dark eyed boy next to him.

"Close your mouth or you'll catch flies," Uchiha remarked calmly and Naruto abruptly shut his mouth.

A slight tremble went through his hands as he picked up his box and removed the lid in order to eat his own lunch. Aware of the warm - too warm - presence next to him, Naruto ate slowly in order to avoid spilling anything on his shirt. Mother would be proud once she would see his clean shirt at the end of the day.

The two boys ate in silence, but it was a nice silence, not tensed and charged like Naruto had experienced before with other children. He tried to keep his fidgeting to a minimum, not wanting to annoy the one person who was willingly keeping him company, but he caught himself tapping his nails against his bento box and swaying his foot back and forth, jiggling his leg. He flushed and looked down, forcing himself to stop moving, and prepared himself for yet another scathing comment about his inability to sit still. It wasn't like he hadn't heard it all before.

Uchiha said nothing, however, didn't even look annoyed and when lunch was over and their boxes were empty, he waited at the door for Naruto to go through first. He didn't react to any attempts of the other students to convince him to sit with them and when classes finished for the day, he nodded at Naruto in greeting before departing.

Naruto stared at his retreating back, feeling weird butterflies fluttering around in his stomach, and didn't know what to make of the new boy.

It had been nice, though, sharing lunch with Uchiha. Maybe, just maybe, the other boy would want to share lunch with him again.

A tiny part of him dared to hope.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: First of all, many apologies for taking so damn long with this next part. I realise it's been a month since I posted the first chapter and I sincerely apologise for taking so long. My other projects turned out to be more difficult to deal with and they took - are still taking actually - a lot of my time.
> 
> But I worked exclusively on this story this week. I wish I could say this was the final part, but it isn't. There will be one more part after this one. I don't want to rush the last part of this fic, so that will get its own chapter. I hope you won't mind ^^;
> 
> Thanks for the kudos and the comments! I really appreciate them!
> 
> Warnings: Some angst; medical diagnosis, though nothing bad. Nothing else I think. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Part 2_

The next day Uchiha accompanied him during lunch again. The day after that too and the day after that and after that.

Naruto didn't know why but Uchiha didn't seem repulsed by him. He ignored other children's requests - or insistence in some cases - to sit next to them and instead continued to join Naruto at his table. During lunch he stayed with Naruto, never once going downstairs to eat with other children. When they met during the morning before class and when school ended in the afternoon, Uchiha always greeted him, which after three weeks of hearing it still made Naruto flush awkwardly.

For whatever reason Uchiha seemed to actually like him - or at least find him tolerable enough that he continued to seek out Naruto's presence. It confused the blond boy, but it also made him cautiously pleased. He had never had someone interested in him like that before and a secret part of him - a part he didn't want to acknowledge in case this thing with Uchiha would end badly - wondered whether this was what being friends was like. He didn't have any experience with it, but if it was, then he really liked it.

He didn't dare to ask whether they were friends, though; fearing the answer he would receive.

* * *

On a chilly November morning, a month after Uchiha had joined their class, Naruto made his way earlier to the school than he was used to. Mother had an important appointment and had asked them to go to school a bit earlier today, so she could leave on time.

Since his classmates had made it abundantly clear what they thought of him, Naruto had always gone to school as late as possible, to avoid being forced to linger lonely on the playground, waiting for the bell to ring. If Mother had told them one month ago that they would need to go to school earlier, he would have tried out any excuse to linger on his way to school all just so he wouldn't get there early.

Now, however, he shyly wondered whether Uchiha would mind hanging out with him in the morning. They had never done that before, usually just greeting each other in class, because Naruto only arrived at school at the last minute. He was a lot earlier now, though, so would the dark haired boy mind playing with him until the bell rang? Only one way to find out.

Butterflies raced nervously through his stomach and he swallowed, tugging at the dark orange scarf around his neck, when the school came into view. Already the noise of children laughing and shouting filled the frigid air; the cold not a deterrent at all for them.

Two boys - older than him - passed him and entered through the gate, waving towards a light brown haired girl. Others followed, all talking and smiling or complaining about homework.

Naruto halted near the gate, worrying his lip between his teeth as his eyes tried to track down familiar, spiky, black hair on the playground. One sweep over the area revealed nothing and he frowned, realising that he didn't know when exactly Uchiha arrived at school.

A car slowing to a stop behind him piqued his interest and he turned his head, wondering which student would be brought to school by car.

The car door was pushed open and spiky, black hair appeared from the silver coloured vehicle. As soon as Uchiha was standing on the pavement, he reached back into the car and pulled out his backpack. In the time it took him to exit the car and grab his stuff, a woman had stepped out from the other side and made her way around the car.

_She was incredibly pretty._

Naruto watched in awe how the beautiful lady smiled down at Uchiha, brushing his hair back from his forehead as she said something to him. Her long, black hair cascaded down her dark blue coat and her face was as pretty as that of a doll's. She brushed a kiss on Uchiha's forehead and gave him a soft push against his back. Uchiha smiled at her - Naruto absentmindedly noting his smile made him look as pretty as the lady - before turning around and making his way to the gates. The lady stepped back into the car and drove off.

"You're here early," Uchiha greeted him surprised, raising an eyebrow as he stopped next to Naruto.

"Eh, yeah, Mother has to be somewhere early, so she told us we had to go to school earlier," Naruto explained and tore his gaze away from the car, which was now turning around the corner.

Uchiha hummed and jerked his head towards the school gate. "You want to compare our homework before we hand it in?"

Naruto's heart skipped a beat and he grinned, nodding perhaps a bit too eagerly, but he didn't care. Uchiha wanted to spend time with him on the playground!

Not even the hard wind could diminish his happiness as he followed the dark haired boy through the gates.

* * *

They spent lunch in an abandoned classroom now. Naruto's flowers wouldn't survive the harsh cold on the roof, so Iruka-sensei had helped him bring it to a small, dingy classroom on the highest floor of the school. It wasn't particularly warm here - not like the classrooms on the other floors - but it was a perfect place for his flowers to spend the winter.

They had dragged two chairs to the window and were eating their lunch there, looking out at the grey, clouded sky.

A car passing by the school attracted Naruto's attention and reminded him of the pretty lady who had dropped off Uchiha this morning. No longer able to contain his curiosity, he asked, "That lady who was with you when you came to school - is she your mum?"

Uchiha nodded, picking a cherry tomato out of his bento box. "She is," he confirmed. "She always brings me and nii-san to school. Nii-san's school is closer to our house, so he's dropped off first."

"Oh. Your mum is very pretty," the blond boy told him honestly, taking a bite out of his onigiri. He wondered how Uchiha's brother looked like and how much older he was. It had to be quite some years, if the brother was following lessons in another school.

"She is," Uchiha agreed with the corners of his mouth quirked up in a faint smile. A moment of silence lapsed between them and then Uchiha remarked, "I've heard some of our classmates say you don't have parents. Is that true?"

The question was asked offhandedly, tinged with a note of curiosity, but it made the blue eyed boy tense up and his stomach cramped painfully. He stared down at his onigiri, watching how the rice crumbled and dropped into his bento box.

He licked his lips and admitted haltingly, "No, I - I don't have parents. They - they went to heaven years ago." He barely dared to breathe and tried to steel himself against whatever reaction Uchiha would have. Was this the moment when the other boy would dismiss him and leave? Ignore him like all the other children were doing, just because he didn't have a mummy and a daddy like everyone else?

His heart constricted and he pressed his lips tightly together, telling himself he wouldn't cry no matter what. It was just ... He really liked Uchiha; he was the first person of his age to be nice to him and who didn't mind he was more active than other children and couldn't sit still or shut up.

"But you said before that your mother told you, you had to go to school earlier," Uchiha pointed out confused, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Ah, that's - she's the lady who takes care of me and the other children who don't have parents like me. She says we can call her Mother instead," Naruto explained timidly, remembering all too well the time some of his classmates had heard him calling Mother by her name when she came to pick him up after a school trip. They had mercilessly teased him for days and Naruto still had occasionally nightmares about the taunting.

"Is she nice?" Uchiha questioned; his face giving nothing away.

"Yeah, she's nice." She was also one of the very few who could tolerate Naruto's activeness and didn't scold him for talking too much, save for reminding him once in a while to let someone else say something too.

"All right." Uchiha nodded and resumed eating his lunch.

And - that was it? No taunting remarks, no scoffing that he didn't have parents like everyone else?

Baffled Naruto gaped at the dark haired boy. Was he missing something? Was Uchiha planning on playing a joke later on?

Uchiha looked up and frowned slightly. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

"You don't - you don't think it's weird I don't have parents?" Naruto asked haltingly, casting his eyes down to his lap. His heart was beating quicker and he clenched his fingers around his bento box, scared of what the answer would be.

"Why would I think that's weird?"

The blond boy shrugged weakly, refusing to look up. "Some think I'm a freak because I don't have a mummy or a daddy," he admitted in a whisper; his cheeks flaming hot.

"Then they're idiots," Uchiha huffed, sounding a tad irritated.

Naruto's head shot up and he stared in shock at the other boy, not daring to believe that he really had uttered those words. "You - you really think so? You don't think I'm a - I'm a freak, Uchiha-kun?" he stammered; hope blooming up in him like one of his flowers.

"You're not a freak, you're my friend," Uchiha stated plainly and wrinkled his nose. "And call me Sasuke."

Naruto's heart stopped beating for a moment it felt like, before going into overdrive as he stared dumbfounded at the dark haired boy, who had returned to his lunch completely oblivious of the impact of his words.

_Friend._

He had called him his _friend_. _Sasuke_ had called him his _friend_.

Overflowing with happiness, Naruto threw himself on top of Sasuke, hugging him tightly and ignoring his protests as he pressed his face into Sasuke's shirt.

"Oi, Naruto! I'm trying to eat!" Sasuke complained, but contrarily to his words, he didn't make any attempt at shoving the blond boy away and merely underwent the hug with a soft sigh.

After a moment Naruto loosened his embrace and went back to his own seat; his cheeks flushed with giddiness, his belly squirming with happiness as he sniffled a bit. He gave Sasuke a bright grin and while Sasuke looked a bit taken aback at first, he offered a small smile back.

Naruto knew he would treasure that smile for as long as he lived, because it was given to him by his friend Sasuke.

His very first friend.

* * *

Naruto had just turned nine years old when he was finally adopted.

Ever since officially becoming friends with Sasuke, he spent a lot of time at Sasuke's home. The first time the dark haired boy had invited him, Naruto had been overwhelmed, having never been invited to someone else's home before. He had stammered that evening when he had asked Mother whether he could visit Sasuke's house and while she had clearly been taken aback by the request, she had encouraged him to go.

It didn't take long before Naruto became a semi-permanent resident of the large manor.

The garden was large, the edge of it disappearing into the forest behind it, and offered enough space for the boys to play together. The manor itself had so many rooms, playing hide and seek often took hours because it was so easy to hide in one of the many large rooms. Sasuke's room was filled with toys and books; the ideal place for two boys to play for as long and as much as they liked.

The people inhabiting the place were - if possible - even better. Of course there was his best friend Sasuke, who was very smart and very pretty and who defended Naruto whenever some other kid thought he could get away with taunting the small blond boy. As smart as Sasuke was, as vicious was he in a fight and it didn't take long for other children to learn that they couldn't pick a fight with Naruto without fearing consequences courtesy of Sasuke.

While Naruto thought himself capable of dealing with the fights - it wasn't like he hadn't been bullied before sadly - it made something warm inside him to see his best friend flying to his defence. He had never had someone defending him before, so seeing Sasuke doing that out of his own free will ...

Yeah, that made him really happy and fuzzy inside.

Then there was Itachi, Sasuke's older brother. He was already attending secondary school, following classes with people three years older than him because he was _that_ smart. Three times each week he also followed extracurricular classes somewhere in the city and he was captain of the basketball team and followed judo lessons at his school. As such he was very busy, but he still made time each week to play with Sasuke and Naruto, taking them with him to the park sometimes if the weather allowed it.

Naruto had been a bit scared of Itachi at first because the older boy looked so stern and standoffish. But then one day Itachi had sat down with them when they had been working on their homework and had started helping Naruto with his without getting bothered at the way the blond easily became distracted or was fidgeting with his pencils. Naruto's fear had quickly melted away and now he was just as eager as Sasuke to greet the older boy when he returned from school.

Then there was Sasuke's father, Fugaku. If possible the man looked even more stern than Itachi and Naruto had literally frozen up the first time he had met the man, feeling like a stupid bug underneath his assessing stare. For one frightening moment, he had feared that Fugaku would tell him to leave and never come back again and to leave his youngest son alone. Naruto had never been good with adults after all. Only very few were able to tolerate him and Fugaku hadn't looked like he belonged to that particular small group.

But appearances were deceiving and Fugaku hadn't said anything mean, only that he had been glad to see Sasuke making friends. The older man worked long hours, so usually Naruto was already back at the orphanage by the time he arrived home.

The person he liked second best to Sasuke, though, - because nobody could ever take the place of his best friend! - was Sasuke's mum, Mikoto. She was as sweet as she was beautiful and she bestowed as much hugs on Naruto as she did on Sasuke, not treating either of them differently.

Mother gave him sometimes hugs too, but because she was so busy taking care of so many children and keeping the orphanage running, naturally her hugs were brief. Nice hugs, but short ones. Sasuke's mum's hugs, though ... They were the _best_. They made Naruto feel warm and cared for, enveloped in her slender, warm arms, his head pressing against her stomach, and he imagined this must be how it would have felt like if his own mummy had been still alive to hug him.

Naruto would never admit it, but the first time Mikoto had hugged him, he had lingered in her embrace as long as he could, soaking up her warmth as he tried to hide the few tears stinging his eyes. She had never remarked on his light red rimmed eyes that first time, but she continued giving him hugs and even sometimes kisses on his forehead.

She also let him bake cookies with her, teaching him how to knead the dough and cut out the cookies with funny shapes. She even started teaching him how to knit and didn't mind when his attention was snagged by something else for a while. She even praised him whenever he passed a test and that only inspired him to try his best. She never scolded him for running around or being too loud or too energetic and that only made Naruto like her even more.

Yes, Naruto quickly became a semi-permanent member of the household and it was with great reluctance that he returned to his small bedroom at the orphanage every evening, impatiently waiting for the new day to begin when he would see Sasuke and by extension the rest of the Uchiha again.

A part of him, a part he didn't like to linger too long on because that only meant pain in the end, wondered sometimes whether this was how being part of a family felt like. Whether this warmth and bubbly happiness was something other children experienced whenever they were with their family.

Because it was definitely how Naruto felt like when he was surrounded by his best friend and his family.

* * *

Naruto pondered whether he could get away with not wearing a jacket. It was a couple of days after his birthday - which he had spent with the Uchiha! He even had got his first very own birthday party and even though Mama Mikoto - a title she had insisted on after a couple of months and one which Naruto eagerly used - had apologised that only Itachi and Sasuke would attend the party and none of his classmates, Naruto hadn't cared. The people he liked the most had cared enough to give him a birthday party, to celebrate his birthday with him and that was more than enough for him.

It was more than he ever thought he would have.

Because his birthday was in October, the weather wasn't exactly nice anymore and he stared doubtfully out of the window at the light grey sky. Surely going outside for a bit without a jacket wouldn't be that bad ...

He nearly jumped three feet in the air when Mother's voice suddenly rang out, "Naruto-kun? Can you come downstairs for a moment?"

Instantly apprehension filled him as he slowly made his way downstairs, trying to remember whether he had done something wrong lately. He didn't think so, but it wouldn't be the first time one of the other children tried to push the blame on him for something they actually had done.

When he reached the last step of the staircase, he froze with surprise when he caught sight of Mama Mikoto and Papa Fugaku - that title was less easy to use for Naruto for some reason even if the man was nice - standing next to Mother.

"Mama Mikoto?" Naruto asked; his voice higher with worry. Why were they here? Had he -

Had he done something wrong? Were they here to tell him they didn't want him to come over anymore?

His stomach cramped and his fingers clenched around the railing of the staircase; suddenly he wasn't so certain anymore whether he wanted to hear what they would say.

Mother smiled brightly and stepped forwards, beckoning him closer. "Naruto-kun, I have wonderful news for you! The Uchiha are here to adopt you!"

His ears started ringing and he stared at the couple still lingering a few paces behind Mother. A very small smile turned up the corners of Papa Fugaku's mouth, but Mama Mikoto was smiling brightly; her dark eyes sparkling like the stars at night.

He was getting adopted? By Mama Mikoto and Papa Fugaku? He, he would have a real family? He wouldn't have to stay here anymore, but he would be able to be with them all the time now?

After all these years of feeling cast aside, of being jealous of every boy and girl who got adopted, of hearing couples tell Mother they couldn't deal with him ... Was it finally over? Would he really ...

They wanted him?

"If you agree, Naruto-kun, then all that is needed is to sign some papers and then you can go - are you all right?" Mother interrupted her explanation alarmed when she spotted the tears glistening on flushed cheeks.

"Tha-thank you," Naruto stammered, sniffling, and before he realised it, he was enveloped in a warm hug, being cloaked in Mama Mikoto's soothing flower scent.

"Oh sweetheart, there's nothing to thank us for," she murmured, rubbing over his back. "We're going to take you home, okay? With us. Itachi and Sasuke are waiting for you."

"You - you promise?" Wide, shimmering blue eyes stared up at her as small hands clenched her lily white blouse tightly.

Her eyes softened and she brushed a kiss across his forehead. "I promise. Starting today, you'll live permanently with us."

That set off another bout of tears, but Naruto thought he had never been this happy before.

He had a family now.

_His own family._

* * *

Naruto was nine years old when he finally got a family of his own.

* * *

Ten year old Naruto got examined by a couple of doctors and had to undergo several tests, performing various tasks, until the verdict fell on a rainy Friday afternoon.

He had ADHD.

A mild form, the doctor reassured Mama Mikoto who listened attentively and studied whatever was written on those documents. Easily treatable with a medicine. It would help him focus better, temper his energy somewhat. He would have to take the medicine twice a day, but no later than three o'clock, because then his sleep would be disturbed.

There were more technical terms thrown out, more papers for Mama Mikoto to read and sign and take with her; words spoken over Naruto's head that went through his ear and out the other without him understanding anything of them.

What he did understand, quite clearly, was that something was indeed _wrong_ with him. He swallowed roughly and stared down at the tiled floor; his cheeks and neck feeling too hot. People had been saying something was wrong with him for years, but he had always laughed it off, pretending it didn't hurt when they said mean things like that. Now, however, it turned out they had been right after all. Something was wrong with him.

He remained subdued for the remainder of the visit; his skin too tight for his body, his cheeks too warm, his ears ringing and his heart thudding painfully in his chest. His thoughts whirled around like a hurricane, but the centre of them remained the same: he wasn't normal.

A slender hand on his shoulder guided him outside and he followed quietly, shame settling in the pit of his stomach. He had wanted so badly to be a good son to his new parents, but it seemed like he couldn't even do that. Why couldn't he have been born normal like all the other children?

"Naruto, what's wrong?" Mama Mikoto asked softly when she had closed the car door behind her.

Not even being allowed to sit in the front cheered Naruto up. "I'm sorry for not being normal," he whispered, staring down at his fingers, which were fiddling with some buttons of his shirt. He pressed his lips tightly together and shoved his hands between his thighs in an effort to keep them still.

She sighed, making him flinch, and then his hair was being caressed to his shock. "Naruto, sweetheart, there's nothing wrong with you," she told him soothingly. "You're not abnormal; you don't have to apologise for anything."

He looked at her with wide eyes. "But the doctor said - !"

"The doctor just said that you have ADHD," she stated firmly; her eyes remaining as gentle as ever. "There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. It only means you have a little bit more trouble with focusing for a long time and that you're a bit more energetic. That's all. And there's nothing wrong with that, all right? I know you're upset now, but you don't have to be, I promise. We'll figure it out together, okay?"

"Okay," he whispered and swallowed; his stomach still twisting with nerves.

A small ray of hope lit up within him, though. Mama Mikoto didn't look upset, so ... Maybe she was right and there wasn't anything really wrong with him?

* * *

The whole family sat down together that afternoon to talk about Naruto's diagnosis. They explained what exactly ADHD was with Itachi nodding along as if he had known about it all along. Knowing how smart the older boy was, Naruto had no doubt Itachi knew what his parents were explaining.

They gave him a choice: he could start taking the medicine and see how that would work out for him. It would take around a week, perhaps a bit longer, for his body to get adjusted to the new medicine and Papa Fugaku warned him that he would probably feel a bit sick the first few days. If he decided he didn't like it after a month, he could stop taking them and they would just seek out other ways to manage his ADHD.

Naruto decided to start taking the medicine after thinking about it. Maybe this way, he would stop becoming distracted so much and his school results might even improve. He knew he wasn't stupid; Sasuke especially was quite adamant in insisting that he wasn't. The older boy sometimes called him stupid, yes, but Naruto always knew it was meant as a jest or in some cases when he really had done something stupid, like climbing into a tree and almost breaking his arm after falling out of it. Sasuke's insults never stuck to him like other people's did, because he knew his best friend didn't mean them. Not like the others had meant them.

Still, a small part in him rebelled at the thought of taking the medicine, upset that he needed pills to be able to concentrate like everyone else. And the dark part in him, the one where all his insecurities and sadness slumbered, wondered whether something would change between him and Sasuke, whether the other boy would start treating him differently now that he had to take medicine every day.

"Hey, Sasuke," Naruto said that evening, nerves racing through his body as he shuffled closer to Sasuke's bed in the dim light.

They were supposed to be sleeping now, but Naruto couldn't stand the thought of not knowing whether something would change between them and had climbed back out of his bed as soon as he was sure the coast was clear. Itachi was in his own room, studying, and even if he had seen Naruto in the hallway, he wouldn't have said anything. As long as his two brothers weren't too loud, he couldn't be bothered scolding them for ignoring their bedtime.

Mama Mikoto and Papa Fugaku were still downstairs, the muffled noises drifting up informing the blond that they were watching some kind of movie. As long as he didn't make any loud noises, they would never know he was out of bed still.

Sasuke turned around in his bed, blinking up at the blond boy. Moonlight was filtered through his curtains, allowing dark eyes to catch a flash of light hair before the owner got swallowed up in darkness again. "What?"

"Do you ..." Naruto trailed off, suddenly uncertain whether he should really go through with his question. Wouldn't it sound stupid?

"Do I what?"

"We're still best friends, right?" Naruto asked in a small voice; a hint of desperation lingering underneath.

Sasuke uttered an impatient noise. "Yes, we are, idiot. Nothing's going to change that. Now go back to sleep before mum catches you," he grumbled, flopping back down on his right side, showing Naruto his back.

Anyone else would consider this a rude dismissal, but Naruto had to bite down on his lip to suppress a giddy smile; relief flooding through him like a tidal wave.

Suddenly the prospect of taking medicine every day wasn't so daunting anymore.

* * *

It hit him like a kick in the stomach.

While other guys had started talking about girls, pointing out which one looked the sexiest, the cutest, the one who had the biggest tits, the one who was always up for some fun, Naruto wasn't interested in that. That wasn't to say he didn't notice when a girl looked beautiful or cute. Hinata for example was quite cute when she blushed and Ino was very beautiful with her piercing light blue eyes and her long, blonde hair and her full lips constantly glistening with lip gloss.

So yeah, he noticed girls. But not in the way other guys did and for a long time that didn't bother him. Why would he try to figure out which girl had the biggest tits when he could spend that time trying to find a sport in which he could kick Sasuke's arse? Why would he try to ask out a girl to catch a movie and be forced to watch some romantic drivel when he could easily go with his best friend to the movies and watch the action or horror movie he actually wanted to watch?

He didn't mind hanging out with girls, because some of them were really cool, like Temari and Tenten, but he liked spending time with Sasuke more. What was wrong about that? Best friends hang out with each other, right? Nothing abnormal about that.

What, perhaps, wasn't quite normal was feeling jealousy stab him like a thousand hot needles when he walked to Sasuke's locker and saw him stoically accepting the Valentine's Day gift in the form of chocolates that a fiercely blushing girl was offering him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: I've based the ADHD scene - like the explanation of the medicine - for a large part on my sister's situation, though she got diagnosed when she was quite a bit older than Naruto in this story. 
> 
> Again my apologies for taking so long; normally the next part should be out sooner *crosses fingers*
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
> 
> I hope to see you all back in the third - and definitely final - part of this story!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: All right, first of all, many, many apologies for taking so long with this, even though I had promised an earlier update *winces* I had a lot of trouble with the beginning of this chapter, which is why it took me so long to finish it - well, that and the last chapter turned out to be significantly longer than the previous two *coughs* Consider this extra long chapter as my apology for taking so long!
> 
> With this, though, the story is concluded. Thank you for your support, despite the long waiting time! 
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos and the comments!
> 
> Warnings: Angst, drama, fluff, time skips, mature content, short implied references to violence
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> For the last time: I hope you'll like this chapter!

_Part 3_

"Anything else you'd like to talk about?"

The curtains were drawn, blocking out the rain which was pitter-pattering against the windows. Four lamps provided light, casting shadows in the corners. Three of the four sky blue walls were hidden behind large bookcases, all stuffed to the brim with books, binders and oddly, some small dolphin and panda figures.

The middle of the room was occupied by two large, comfortable armchairs with a small table in between. Some blank sheets and a box of tissues were the only items on the table. The clock on the desk was ticking steadily; the rush of traffic outside muffled, reduced to mere background buzzing.

The fifteen year old stirred, pulled out of his thoughts. "Hm? What?" Naruto asked befuddled, straightening up from the slouch he had fallen into. The armchair was just so damn comfortable …

"Is there something else you'd like to talk about?" Kakashi repeated patiently, twirling his pen between his fingers as he perused the papers on his lap; his face the picture of boredom.

Or at least what was visible of his face. For some reason the older man refused to remove the mouth mask he wore every time Naruto met him for his bi weekly session.

Two years ago Naruto had started his sessions with psychologist Kakashi, who apparently was a family friend of the Uchiha. He hadn't wanted to go at first. It was bad enough he had ADHD and had to take medicine for it – only one pill each day, though, after they had discovered one was enough to get him through the day – but to visit a psychologist on top of that?

_Naruto had hated it._

But Mama Mikoto had been relentless, refusing to give him a way out after she had caught him in the middle of a panic attack one too many times. It wasn't as if he had panic attacks regularly, but years of being taunted, of feeling pushed aside and rejected, of hearing he wasn't good enough, no, sorry, can we talk to another child?, of being afraid he would be cast aside yet again if he wasn't good enough, of comparing himself to Sasuke and Itachi and fearing he would never be able to catch up to them … Those years had left their marks behind.

So Mama Mikoto had sent him to a psychologist, explaining to him that the man would help him cope with his fears and would aid him in finding out a way to deal with them.

He had refused to say a word during his first sessions. He hadn't wanted to be here at all and he wasn't going to make the job easier for the silver haired man. Kakashi hadn't been bothered by his stubborn silence, though. They had spent the sessions in silence, save for the customary question "What do you want to talk about?" at the start of each session. Curiosity killed the cat, though, and after the fourth session spent in pure silence, Naruto had asked why Kakashi wasn't trying to get him to talk.

"Because I get paid either way," had been Kakashi's laconic reply before turning his attention back to the novel he had been reading.

Naruto should have felt offended, but oddly that casual remark had made him start liking the other man. The session after that one had him slowly starting to open up towards the psychologist. He talked about all the times he had felt lonely, rejected until Sasuke had appeared and held out his hand in friendship. About how happy he had been when Mama Mikoto and Papa Fugaku adopted him.

How awkward he felt whenever people, who wouldn't have even glanced twice at him when he was a kid, now were friendly to him; the majority of them hoping to get in the good graces of Sasuke.

He told Kakashi all about how happy he was to have Sasuke as his best friend, how amazing it had been to be accepted by the other boy. How it felt like to finally _belong_ somewhere.

Kakashi had listened to all that patiently, occasionally making notes, and then had asked about the bad stuff, the stuff that had Naruto feeling like he would suffocate, the stuff that could bring a panic attack seemingly out of nothing. The secrets he had kept locked inside of him for years, too ashamed to talk about them.

Everything had come out slowly, haltingly. He hadn't wanted to talk about it, feeling like he would only embarrass himself, but what else was he doing in a psychologist's office? He was coming here for a specific reason and it wasn't just to talk about the happy things in his life.

So he talked. About how difficult it had been, how miserable it had made him feel, to see one child after the other becoming adopted, yet nobody chose him. None of the couples had wanted him, no matter how hard he had tried to be on his best behaviour.

How difficult it had been to hide his pain underneath a grinning mask when the other children made fun of him, laughing at how easily distracted he could be, how sensei had to explain something several times sometimes because he just couldn't grasp the new concept … The way they pointed at his cheeks and called him a freak for those fox like scars …

How, even though he was incredibly happy with his new family, he sometimes had moments in which he was scared they would send him back to the orphanage if he didn't meet their expectations. The way he sometimes felt like he was less worthy than Sasuke and Itachi, because they were smarter, better than him in everything.

Rationally he knew Mama Mikoto and Papa Fugaku only expected him to do his best, but it was difficult at times to remind himself of that fact when he again returned home with lower marks than Sasuke. Sasuke and Itachi were practically genius' and it was hard for Naruto not to feel inferior next to them.

Kakashi had helped him, though. He had taught him ways to calm down – counting five things he could hear, five things he could see and then reduce the amount of things he saw and heard until he felt himself calm down - when he felt a panic attack coming up or just when stress threatened to drown him. He had made the blond write lists of the classes he was good in, like arts and sociology; lists of sports he excelled at, notably baseball, and his good qualities. That last list had given Naruto quite some trouble; it had felt odd to consider his good qualities and he had been honestly lost. Sasuke had seen him struggling and unlike the blond, he hadn't had any problems summing up Naruto's good qualities.

Seeing Sasuke easily jotting down all the blond's good qualities had made Naruto quite flustered and he had walked around with a tomato red head and a warm glow in his chest for the rest of the day.

The lists now hung right above his desk in his bedroom and every morning before he went downstairs, he was to read them and remind himself that he was good, that he wasn't worthless and not inferior compared to the other Uchiha. The lists worked better on some days than others; it was a work in progress.

He scratched at a dry fleck of blue paint on his jeans, debating whether he should say it or not. "Not … really," he answered after a bout of silence.

Kakashi cocked his head to the right, gazing knowingly at him. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," he reminded the younger man. "But bottling it all up isn't good either. We talked about this before, remember?"

"I remember," Naruto muttered, casting his eyes down on his lap. Yes, he knew he shouldn't bottle things up like he used to do, but this …

This felt still too fragile, too new to talk to someone about it.

Too potentially damaging.

Silence stretched between them for a while before Kakashi nodded; his eyes crinkling with the smile he was hiding underneath his mask. "As long as you remember."

* * *

He didn't know what to do.

Forlornly he stared down at his sheet with questions about the Edo period; the letters dancing in front of his eyes. The filled in sheet needed to be handed over to the sensei in two days, but he hadn't been able to write down even one word yet.

He kept thinking of the scene he had witnessed a week ago on Valentine's Day. It wasn't like that had been the first time Sasuke had received a gift for Valentine's Day. Hell, both he and Itachi were quite popular with the girls and both boys returned with a lot of gifts each time on the day of love – not that they never got gifts outside of that day, because again, they were quite popular, but it was definitely more noticeable on Valentine's Day.

Naruto had never been really bothered by the mountain of gifts the two dark haired males received. Sure, it would have been nice to receive one of his own, but it hadn't really mattered.

Not until now.

It would have been one thing to be jealous of Sasuke for receiving that much attention – a lot of guys were, Naruto knew. Being jealous of Sasuke would be _normal_.

The problem was: he was jealous of the _girl_. Because she had given Sasuke a gift, which he had accepted. He had thrown it away afterwards, as he always did with the gifts he received from his admirers, but still. For a moment, Naruto had stood there, witnessing his friend accepting yet another gift and found himself wishing he had been in the girl's place.

He found himself wishing _he_ had given Sasuke a gift and that it would have been accepted by the other boy.

His head landed with a 'thump' on the desk and the sheets of paper muffled his groan of distress. It wasn't normal, right? It wasn't normal to wish to give your best friend a gift in the romantic sense. What was wrong with him?

Since when had his feelings for the black haired boy changed? He was his best friend, damn it! _His male best friend_. He wasn't supposed to like him like that! He had been considered a freak for years because he didn't have a normal family like the others – how would people react if they knew he liked Sasuke more than just as his friend?

How would Sasuke react if he knew that?

His stomach cramped with fear and he clamped his arm around it, feeling like he would throw up any second now. If Sasuke knew …

Naruto didn't even dare to think of the older boy's possible reaction.

He barely supressed a startled scream when a knock resounded on the door, followed by Sasuke poking his head inside.

"Knocking is usually followed by waiting for permission to enter!" he snapped at the other boy, whirling around in his chair.

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow, not appearing cowed at all. "As if you remember to wait for permission," he scoffed, leaning against the doorjamb while crossing his arms. "Besides, you're just studying."

"I could have been doing something else!" Naruto defended himself and then reddened when he realised how that might come across.

Sasuke wrinkled his nose, looking a bit disturbed, but didn't remark on it. Instead he asked, "You want to practice baseball tomorrow? The club leader cancelled the meeting."

In a fit of panic, the thought of being near Sasuke, alone for a while, being too much for him, Naruto blurted out, "Can't! I promised Gaara I would spar with him. He's got a tournament coming up, you know." He chuckled nervously, rubbing a hand over the back of his head.

Dark eyes narrowed instantly at the mention of the red haired boy and the owner of them pursed his lips. "What about now then? We can practice in the garden," he suggested.

"Ehm, no, sorry, can't tonight. Still trying to finish those questions and you know how Ibiki gets if I don't hand them in on time," the blond babbled nervously; blue eyes shifting away from Sasuke and focusing somewhere next to him on the door.

"Right," Sasuke said slowly, sounding put out as he straightened up. "I'll leave you to it then," he muttered stiffly and left before Naruto could even open his mouth.

Great, now Sasuke was pissed off.

With another, louder 'thump' his head landed back on the desk as his fingers sank down in his hair. Nothing was going his way, it seemed.

* * *

"Are you and Uchiha having a fight?" Gaara inquired tonelessly as he went through the motions to cool down after sparring for more than an hour and then training for yet another half hour.

Naruto had gone through the motions earlier, remembering all too well the first time he hadn't properly cooled down and had had sore muscles for a week. He was slumped against the wall, watching how Gaara first beat and kicked the punch ball into submission before he went through the progress of cooling down. At the green eyed boy's question, he stiffened and his head shot up, barely avoiding smacking straight into the wall behind him.

"What? No, why do you think that?"

At least not in the literal sense of the word, he supposed with a wince. He and Sasuke hadn't had a fight per se … Naruto was just, you know, a teensy tiny bit avoiding him. He knew he shouldn't do that and that it made him pathetic, but he just couldn't help it. Ever since Valentine's Day he became hyper aware of Sasuke's presence whenever he was near him – which was basically all the time considering they shared most classes together and lived in the same house. That made it difficult for Naruto to put some distance between them and try to ignore the weird squirmy sensation in his stomach; it was why he had been mostly hanging out with Gaara lately, because Gaara and Sasuke didn't particularly like each other.

Maybe it was because their similar personalities clashed, but from the moment Naruto had introduced Gaara to Sasuke, it was clear that they wouldn't be able to get along. The looks on their faces as they studied each other had been more than obvious. Naruto had met Gaara after helping him fight off some guys, who had thought it would be fun to pick on the quiet kid. Having had far too much experience with people bullying him, Naruto had almost instinctively reacted and had helped the red haired boy chase the others away. Since then they had become good friends.

Naruto wished he could say that his friends got along with each other, but he had given up after trying out a few joined outings. Sasuke and Gaara just couldn't stand each other for some reason and nothing would change that.

Their dislike for each other, however, made it currently quite easy for Naruto to avoid his best friend.

"You're spending more time with me than usual," Gaara pointed out mildly. He lowered his arms and carefully rolled his shoulders before wiping off the sweat off his face with a towel.

Naruto frowned, sitting up straighter. "You make it sound like I only go to you when I'm arguing with him," he retorted, a bit hurt that Gaara could think that. Was he that bad of a friend that the other boy thought he was just second choice?

Green eyes rolled and Gaara dropped down next to him with a sigh. He took a couple of big gulps of his water before he said, "Don't be like that, I don't think that. It's just a fact that you hang out more with Uchiha than with me – nothing wrong with that." He shrugged, sounding unbothered.

"We're not having a fight," the blond muttered and started picking at the rubber sole of his scuffed shoe.

"But there's something else going on," Gaara remarked knowingly, raising his knees and dangling the half empty bottle between them.

The younger boy grumbled put out, glancing away from that damn knowing gaze. Eugh, he had forgotten just how much Gaara _noticed_. Naruto was like an open book to him; no secrets, no way he could ever hide it if he was bothered by something.

Like now.

Gaara let some silence pass between them, before he knocked his shoulder against Naruto's. "You know you can tell me what's bothering you," he murmured.

Blue eyes cast a quick glance at him. His normally pale face was still flushed with exertion and flame red strands of hair were plastered against his sweaty forehead. There were damp patches on his shirt where his sweat had soaked through the cloth and he was still radiating heat. Despite that, his gaze was calm and collected, attentive when he met blue eyes.

"I don't like girls," Naruto blurted out before he could reconsider. Promptly he coloured red and it felt like his cheeks were on fire when his brain registered what had just come out of his mouth.

"Okay," Gaara said slowly, appearing a bit confused.

Well, he had already opened his stupid mouth, he might as well go on. He had screwed up either way. "ImeanIthinkIlikeboysandnotgirls," he replied rushed and squeezed his eyes tightly shut; his hands balling into fists.

This was the first time he admitted aloud that he might not be like the other guys and he was _terrified_ of his friend's reaction. As the silence dragged on, he became more and more panicked; his chest feeling more constricted, making it harder to breathe, and his nails dug into his palms, the stinging pain barely registering in his mind.

"Did Uchiha give you hell for that?" Gaara suddenly demanded furiously; his voice echoing through the gym. "Because if he did, I'm going to beat the shit out of him! Who does he think he is, that stuck up, arrogant son of a bitch!" He shot up, his face a mask of fury, and Naruto barely managed to scramble up, snatching Gaara's wrist before the smaller boy could storm off in search of the youngest Uchiha.

"What? No! No, he didn't! He doesn't know yet!" Naruto yelled and his raised voice managed to penetrate through Gaara's haze of anger after a couple of tense seconds. The blond boy felt him relax slightly underneath his fingers and when his friend turned around, he was visibly calming down, though his eyes still sparked fiercely.

"He doesn't know?" he repeated surprised, looking taken aback.

Naruto couldn't blame him for that; he and Sasuke were best friends after all. They didn't keep secrets from each other – except Naruto was keeping one from him. A major secret even. One that could break their friendship, their bond which Naruto treasured so much; tear it apart like it was nothing but wet paper.

Why couldn't he just be normal?

"No, he doesn't," he admitted in a small voice and released Gaara's wrist.

Gaara frowned. "You think he'll react badly?"

Fingers started tugging nervously at the bottom of his shirt. "I don't know," Naruto hedged, looking away. This conversation was slowly inching in a direction he didn't like and he was regretting opening his big mouth.

"Well," Gaara started reluctantly, "I – don't think he'll react that badly. He's your best friend after all."

Blue eyes squinted at him suspiciously. "A moment ago you wanted to go beat the shit out of him, because you thought he had reacted badly," he pointed out blankly.

The red haired boy scowled and waved his hand dismissively. "What was I supposed to think? Something was bothering you and it had to do with Uchiha. Then you come out to me; I figured you had told him already and his reaction was what's bothering you."

"No, I haven't told him," Naruto sighed, running a hand through his damp hair. Green eyes studied him intently and Naruto shifted underneath the gaze, feeling a bit uncomfortable. "What?"

"It'll be okay," Gaara murmured and squeezed his arm briefly. "I don't like the bastard, but he's not going to react badly when you tell him. You're still you, whether you like boys or girls or both."

"Yeah," Naruto smiled weakly, rubbing his left hand over his right arm. A bit of relief pricked through the uneasiness lingering in his stomach; at least Gaara hadn't reacted badly.

"But if he does react badly, tell me and I'll kick his arse," Gaara added helpfully, flexing his fingers.

Despite the threat aimed at his best friend, Naruto couldn't help but smile, happy to have Gaara on his side. Even after all this time, it probably wouldn't cease to surprise him to have someone on his side.

* * *

"What the hell crawled up your arse?!"

The door to Naruto's bedroom flew open, smacking straight into the wall before bouncing back. It smashed straight into the fist of an enraged Sasuke and slammed against the wall again; the wood groaning dangerously underneath the violent assault.

With a loud yelp, Naruto whirled around; his heart beating faster, like he was running a marathon. Wide eyed he stared at Sasuke and froze underneath his burning glare. Sasuke had never looked like at him like that before and the blond boy swallowed loudly; his fingers clenching around his bag which he was still holding up in the air.

"Wh-what's wrong?" he stammered, stumbling backwards until the edge of his desk dug into his lower back when Sasuke strode forwards; his eyes practically spitting fire.

He jammed his finger into Naruto's chest painfully; the pressure unrelenting even when Naruto tried to lean backwards as much as he could.

"You've got the balls to ask what's wrong?" Sasuke hissed, sounding disturbingly similar to a snake, and dark eyes narrowed.

"I …"

"How about the fact that you've been avoiding me for almost a month now!"

"I haven't been avoiding you!" Naruto protested, but even with his own ears he could hear how weak that denial was.

For a second it looked like Sasuke was ready to punch him and he flinched instinctively. That made Sasuke pause and take a step back, but his body kept trembling with suppressed anger and his glare didn't lessen even a fraction.

"Oh? So you leaving practice earlier is just my imagination then? I'm just imagining that you've suddenly become too busy with homework," Sasuke sneered, balling his hands into fists. "I'm just dreaming that you're spending all your free time with _Gaara_ then?" he spat out the name as if it was something foul.

"I didn't meant to - "

"What, am I suddenly not good enough for you anymore? Is that it, huh? Now that you've got other friends, you're done with me?" Sasuke hissed through gritted teeth; his eyes smouldering with fury.

_And pain._

Naruto's breathing hitched and he stared helplessly at the harshly breathing boy in front of him. It was as if he was looking into a mirror; how many times hadn't he feared Sasuke would be done with him once he started making new friends? People who weren't orphans, who didn't have odd scars marring their cheeks, who didn't have ADHD. Too many times to count, really.

He had never expected _Sasuke_ to feel like that about _him_.

He opened his mouth, trying to explain himself without giving too much away. "That's not it, Sasuke! How could you even think that - "

"What else am I supposed to think?" Sasuke snarled and he looked so out of control at the moment that Naruto was genuinely afraid punches would start flying any second now. "So what's the fucking deal, huh? You don't need me anymore now that you've got other people? That's it, right? Well, instead of avoiding me, why don't you grow some balls and tell me that straight into my - "

"I LIKE YOU!"

The words echoed and bounced between the walls of the bedroom, ringing loudly in the silence which suddenly fell between them. His abrupt confession, coming out of the blue, was enough to make Sasuke halt his tirade and the dark haired boy gazed at him stunned, his lips parted in surprise.

Naruto stared back equally stunned, before horror slowly started to sink in, settling heavily in his stomach. Oh no, what the hell had he just done?

Oh no, no, no! He couldn't have … Did he really just …

_**Oh fuck.** _

"What?" Sasuke asked shocked; his dark eyes wide in disbelief. He was as still as a statue; only his mouth moving.

Tears started pricking blue eyes and Naruto took a shuddering breath, praying to whatever deity was up there to be merciful and not let him cry like a little kid in front of the other boy. Humiliation burned him from the inside as he choked out, "I – I like you. Not – not just as a – as a friend, but … like, more. I'm – I'm sorry, I'm just, I need to - " He didn't even try to finish his sentence as he sped past Sasuke, running out of the room before the dark haired boy could even stir.

God, he had fucked up so badly just now. So, so badly. He was such a giant idiot! Why had he even –

He sped around the corner, taking the stairs two steps at once, trying to put as much distance between him and Sasuke as he could. There was one spot in the house, a place he had stumbled upon a couple of years ago, that Sasuke didn't know about and therefore he wouldn't look for him there. He needed to be alone right now.

Of all the things he could have said, he just had to go and … A whimper escaped him and he hastily closed the door of the attic behind him, treading as quietly as possible across the room to the window half hidden behind a discarded closet. There was just enough space between the window and the closet for him and he opened the window with shaking hands, climbing through it.

This brought him on the roof, on the flat space that looked out across the garden. Perhaps this small space had been once used as a mini garden, but now it was barren with just a couple of leaves discarded in the corners, deposited there by the wind. The air was cool, tinged with a hint of rain and below there was the noise of some cars passing through the street.

Sniffling, he sank down on the roof, a couple of feet away from the window. He pulled his legs up and clasped his arms around his knees, hiding his too hot face against them.

He had just ruined everything. There was no way Sasuke would still want to be around him now, not now he knew what Naruto was really feeling for him. He was most likely disgusted now and oh god, what were Mama Mikoto and Papa Fugaku going to say?

He froze and his breathing hitched; his eyes opening to stare unseeingly at the dark blue material of his jeans. They were going to be disgusted, furious maybe. Would they kick him out? Would he have to return to the orphanage?

He finally had a family – had he just ruined everything, because he had to be a freak through and through?

He didn't know how long he sat there, swinging between humiliated and angry at himself for ruining everything. His arse was growing numb and it startled drizzling; the rain coating everything in a fine, wet sheen. He didn't care; everything was better than having to face the no doubt awkward situation indoors.

He barely managed to swallow back the scream which threatened to escape when the window suddenly opened and a dark haired head came through. For a few heart stopping seconds he thought Sasuke had found him and he stiffened, every muscle in his body locking up tightly.

At the sight of long, straight hair – longer than Sasuke's – he briefly relaxed again, because it was Itachi and not Sasuke, but then his stomach cramped up with nerves once more.

Because Itachi wasn't much better. He had completely forgotten that the older man had returned home from university a day earlier than usual. _Shit, how long had he been home?_

He didn't even dare to look up, keeping his eyes fixated on his knees, as the older man sat down next to him. For a moment nothing was said between them; there was the sound of leaves rustling gently as the wind played with them.

"How did you find me?" Naruto questioned, figuring it was best to get this over with as quickly as possible.

Itachi huffed amused. "You're not the only one who explored this house," he remarked calmly. "I sometimes hid up here when I played hide and seek with Sasuke. It was funny to hear him get worked up when he couldn't find me."

Any other time and Naruto would have sniggered at the mental image of a pouting Sasuke, but he couldn't even muster up a weak smile now. He felt so sick, it surprised him he hadn't started throwing up yet.

"How much did you hear?" he asked despondently, tangling his fingers together.

"Everything," the older man admitted after a pause. "I arrived an hour before you."

Well, that explained why he was just dressed in a simple blue sweater and some jeans. "Great. You're here to tell me how much of a disgusting freak I am?" Naruto asked bitterly. "Because I already know."

"Naruto-kun, look at me."

The blond boy kept his gaze stubbornly fixated on his legs, trying to ignore how warm his cheeks felt and how his eyeballs started pricking again.

"Naruto-kun, look at me."

Unwillingly Naruto responded to the sterner tone in Itachi's voice, though he kept his eyes trained on Itachi's forehead, not wanting to see what kind of emotion was lurking into those dark depths.

"Listen to me carefully: you're not disgusting and you're not a freak," Itachi told him calmly, but firmly.

Naruto snorted, looking down once more. "Yes, because it's normal to like your brother like that," he spat, more angry at himself than at the older man.

"Did you ever consider him as your brother?"

That question made him pause and he unfurled from his curled up position, staring blankly at Itachi as he ruminated about what he had just said. Well … No, actually. He had always considered Sasuke as his best friend, not ever like a brother; not even after he had been officially adopted by the Uchiha. He had kept his own last name – the last proof of his biological parents – but the papers had his last name hyphenated with that of the Uchiha. While he did consider Itachi to be some sort of older brother to him, he had never regarded Sasuke as a brother. It just … didn't fit. They weren't brothers, but best friends, no matter what the adoption papers officially stated.

"No, he's my best friend, but," Naruto swallowed, clenching his hands into fists, feeling helpless, "that doesn't mean … I – he's going to hate me now."

Itachi released a soft sigh. "He's not going to hate you, Naruto-kun."

"How would you know?!"

"Because I know my little brother. Trust me, he could never hate you. Especially not for something like this," the older man replied soothingly.

"I just wanted to be normal for once," Naruto whispered, pressing his lips tightly together, rubbing briskly over his burning eyes.

"You _are_ normal, Naruto-kun. Don't ever let someone tell you otherwise," Itachi stated strongly.

"But Sasuke!"

"Won't think you're abnormal either, trust me."

That was easier said than done and Naruto pressed his hands between his knees, not feeling reassured by Itachi's words in the slightest. "What about Mama Mikoto and – and Papa Fugaku?"

"Their love for you doesn't depend on whether you like boys or girls," Itachi murmured; his ponytail slipping over his shoulder. "Once you're ready to tell them, you'll see. Everything will be okay, I promise."

The blond wished he had the same confidence as Itachi. Never mind the reaction of his parents – he remained utterly terrified of Sasuke's reaction, certain he had completely screwed up things between them, no matter what Itachi claimed.

Itachi seemed to sense his tension, because he hummed and suggested, "Want to get some ramen from Ichiraku's?"

Blue eyes turned to regard him suspiciously. "You don't like ramen," Naruto pointed out sullenly, knowing all too well this was an attempt to distract.

A dark eyebrow rose up. "I don't hate it either," Itachi retorted mildly. "Come on, I'll pay."

Well … Maybe ramen would be able to distract him from his thoughts for at least a little while. With a huff he stood up and steadfastly ignored the small smirk curling around Itachi's mouth.

Just because he agreed to get ramen, didn't mean everything was suddenly okay!

* * *

A couple of hours later Naruto, well, he didn't sneak back in per se, because it wasn't as if he had done something wrong, but he wasn't exactly going out of his way to find the other inhabitants either. Itachi rolled his eyes when Naruto shot upstairs before either of their parents could call out to them, but he didn't say anything to stop him and that was good enough for the blond boy. For tonight he just wanted to go to sleep and forget the mess he had created by not being able to keep his big mouth shut.

Sleep wasn't easy to find, though, and he watched the minutes tick by as he tossed around in his bed, attempting to find a good position. He found it eventually by curling up on his right side, his back towards the door, and his hair brushing against the wall. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, blocking out the murmur of the television downstairs and the ticking of the clock on his nightstand.

Some tree branches creaked softly right outside his window and slowly his eyelids grew heavier and his breathing evened out; the sheets feeling comfortably warm around his body. He was almost there, sleep calling out to him, reigning him in with open arms and …

_Click._

Blue eyes shot open, his heart quickening its pace, and he stared unseeingly at the wall as the door opened further. There was a beam of soft yellowish light penetrating through the gap in the door for a few seconds, before darkness descended once more when the door closed again.

It could be Mama Mikoto, checking up on him, like she was wont to do sometimes. It could even be Itachi; he had done that a couple of times before too.

But no, he recognised those soft footsteps slowly making their way to his bed and he held his breath, keeping himself as still as possible, praying the other one would think he was fast asleep. His heart was beating madly in his chest, sweat pricking the back of his neck and he was hyper aware of the other one's presence in his room.

The footsteps halted right next to him and nothing happened for a moment. Naruto could feel the heavy gaze assessing his form and it took everything he had to keep breathing deeply and regular and not give in to the panic coursing madly through his veins.

A sigh sounded above him, followed by a quiet snort. "I know you're not sleeping."

Naruto stiffened, but didn't react, just squeezing his eyes tightly shut. _Just please go away_ , he pleaded silently, his hands curling into fists underneath his sheets. _Just go, please. Just for tonight. I can't talk to you now._

Naturally Sasuke had to remain his stubborn self, the bastard, and instead of being merciful and leaving, a weight, instead, settled on the bed right next to Naruto, who feared his muscles would never be the same again with how tightly he had coiled them up.

"You left before I could say something," Sasuke stated after a few seconds. A hint of frustration tainted his voice. "And after that I couldn't find you. Nii-san told me he took you out for ramen; did you sneak back in afterwards?"

Stubbornly Naruto kept silent, feeling uncomfortably hot underneath the cover all of a sudden.

"You're going to be like that? Fine, makes a nice change, I guess," Sasuke muttered and he shifted a bit; his clothes rustling softly. "Whatever you're thinking in that stupid airhead of yours – you're wrong. I don't … I don't hate you. So what if you like boys? Doesn't matter."

For some reason _that_ was what made Naruto snap and he shot up, whirling around to face Sasuke. "That's not the point!" he hissed, scrambling around until he was sitting on his knees on the mattress, his hands clenched into fists on his thighs. "It's – I – didn't you hear what I said?! I told you I – I like you!" He nearly choked on the words; they formed a clump in his throat and humiliation burned brightly in him when the words danced around them, filling the space between them once more.

Dark eyes glinted in the faint light coming through the curtains as Sasuke turned around to face him. "I heard you," he riposted infuriatingly calm.

"Then why aren't you … Why don't you …" Naruto's lower lip trembled and he looked away, hastily blinking away hot tears which blurred his vision. Shit, he was not going to cry! Not in front of Sasuke!

"Is it really that bad to like me?" Sasuke's voice was flat, no infliction whatsoever.

Naruto growled; humiliation and frustration warring with each other. "That's not -! I – I know it's not – i-it's not right and I – I'm a fr-freak, but - "

"Am I a freak too then?"

His heart skipped a beat and he whipped his head around, staring shocked at the boy in front of him. Sasuke gazed back and while his face was utterly smooth, a blank canvas, his eyes glittered feverishly, worry lurking deeply, nearly hidden, in them.

"Sa-Sasuke," he inhaled sharply, feeling lightheaded, and there was too much going on in his head and in his chest to make sense of them, never mind untangle them.

_Was Sasuke … Did he also … But who?_

The elation that filled him at the thought of Sasuke being like him, liking boys too instead of girls, was quickly exchanged with trepidation as he tried to figure out how Sasuke had discovered that. Had he just realised that girls weren't interesting or –

Or had a boy made him realise that like it was the case for Naruto?

"So? Am I a freak too then?" Sasuke repeated his question; his voice still disturbingly flat, but his hands balled themselves into fists and his form was radiating tension.

"Of course not!" The denial left him fiercely and he shook his head, upset that Sasuke could even think that. Of course Sasuke wasn't a freak, he could never be one, not like …

His breath hitched and his eyes widened as he stared at Sasuke again.

The dark haired boy nodded slowly. "Exactly. If I'm not a freak, you're not one. You can be a giant idiot, but you're not a freak."

This time a couple of tears did escape and Naruto sniffled, rubbing them away hastily. The tight grip around his lungs eased up somewhat as he tentatively dared to believe that it wasn't freakish of him to like a boy. If Sasuke wasn't a freak for liking a boy, then …

Naruto couldn't be one either, right?

Could it really be that simple?

Then doubt started growing again and he cast his eyes down, fidgeting with a fold in his sheets. For Sasuke to have decided he liked boys too … Did that mean he liked someone now? And what did he think of Naruto liking him? Would … Was there even a small possibility that Sasuke liked him back? Or – his fidgeting grew worse and his cheeks warmed – was that hoping for too much?

"How, eh, how did you – fi-find out you l-like boys?" Naruto stammered, keeping his eyes trained on his lap. He was torn between wanting to know whether Sasuke was interested in someone and not wanting to know, afraid of the answer he would receive. Or maybe Sasuke didn't like anyone now and things would still be awkward between them after all, because he now knew Naruto liked him.

Panic was starting to wrap its ugly, thick tendrils around him again, making everything fuzzy, when Sasuke spoke up, his voice cleaving straight through the panic. "Because I like someone and he's definitely not a girl," he snorted.

"Oh." Naruto clasped his hands together, noting in the back of his mind how clammy they felt, and worried his lip between his teeth. Should he – but no, what if he …

"I can hear you thinking," Sasuke said dryly. "Stop it before you hurt yourself."

"Bastard," Naruto muttered, but his retort was weak and his scowl melted away before it could even form properly.

A sigh. "Just spit out whatever you want to ask, dobe," Sasuke ordered, crossing his arms.

Ah, he was afraid of the answer and didn't really want to ask, but … "Do you like someone?" Naruto blurted out before he could think twice and he winced, squeezing his eyes shut as if that would help him hide from the truth.

"Tch, you're a goddamn moron," Sasuke clucked his tongue; the sound sharp in the otherwise silent room.

Outraged Naruto raised his head – he had been serious, goddamn it, and now that bastard wasn't even taking him serious enough to give him a real answer and –

There was a cool hand untangling his own clammy ones, before fingers curled around his left ones. One second, two seconds, three seconds passed and then … Sasuke's form came closer suddenly, reducing the distance between them quickly and before Naruto could react, before he could say something or do something, they …

Dry lips brushed against his own, uncertainly, carefully. A shaky exhale of warm breath hit his chin and mouth and then Sasuke pulled back. All Naruto could do was gaze stunned back at him, his brain short quitting completely.

 _Had Sasuke … Had they just … Their mouths … Had they just …_ _**Kissed?!** _

Sasuke was the one to break their eye contact this time, appearing slightly embarrassed as he turned his head to the side. "If you hadn't been such a moron, I could have told you this earlier," he admonished him, scowling.

"But how … You never said anything," Naruto brought out perplexed, though his heart was racing mildly in his chest – and not from panic this time.

Sasuke shrugged. "I didn't think you'd be interested," he replied, a bit stiffly. "I figured that was fine, but then you started avoiding me and …" He exhaled slowly. When he continued, his voice was so soft, it got almost absorbed by the sound of the rustling branches outside. "I started wondering whether you _knew_ somehow and that was your way of letting me know what you – thought of that."

"I would never – I – I got jealous when I saw you accepting those chocolates and I – I became confused. And then I figured out _why_ I was jealous and I just … I didn't want to lose you as my best friend," Naruto admitted haltingly, feeling his face burn with embarrassment.

"So …" Sasuke squeezed his fingers, which Naruto realised with a start he was still holding. "We're good, right?"

"Ye-yeah, we're good," Naruto agreed roughly and swallowed, clearing his throat. "Does this – are we going out now?"

Sasuke cocked his head to the left and he sounded faintly amused when he answered, "Yeah, if you want."

The blond boy nodded vigorously; excited butterflies squirming around in his stomach. "Yeah! I want that!" he was quick to reassure; warmth glowing inside him. Then all of a sudden his mind flashed back to the short, first kiss they had shared just now and shyness fell over him. His own fingers tightened around slender digits and his cheeks grew even hotter when he asked, voice nearly inaudible, "Can we – kiss again?"

"Tch, usuratonkachi," Sasuke muttered, but then his face neared once more and their mouths touched for the second time.

Their second kiss was even better than the first one, because this time Naruto remembered to kiss back.

* * *

Their first official date was hanami. It happened a bit more than a week after their nightly confession. The cherry trees were blooming brightly, colouring the world a light pink and they held a picnic underneath one of the trees, one more secluded from the others to give themselves some privacy.

They shared several kisses and Naruto felt ridiculously giddy, but he couldn't help himself. After realising what exactly he felt for the dark haired boy, he had feared he would never have a chance with him. Sasuke was incredibly popular after all; everyone, both younger and older, vying for his attention and his affection. Yet Naruto was the one who got both and that realisation _thrilled_ him to no end.

"What are you smiling about?" Sasuke asked, peering up at him suspiciously from where he was lying down on the picnic blanket. Some sakura petals had landed in his hair and around his head, making for quite the idyllic picture.

"Nothing much. Just glad we're here," Naruto grinned and snapped a picture of Sasuke, studying the picture carefully before deciding to make it his background – even if that sounded rather cheesy. Whatever, he was happy with Sasuke and the boy had always been ridiculously photogenetic.

"Oi, are you taking pictures of me?" Sasuke growled, his eyes flashing up, and then they were wrestling, rolling around on the blanket as Naruto cackled, keeping his phone out of Sasuke's reach.

No way was he going to give up this picture!

* * *

Naruto was a month away from his sixteenth birthday when they decided they were ready to inform their parents. Despite either of them not wanting to admit it, they were both incredibly nervous and tense, fearing the reaction they would receive.

While not exactly open about it, they hadn't kept their relationship a secret either at school and the reactions had been heavily mixed. The core of Sasuke's fangirl group had been beyond pissed, even dousing Naruto with cups of lemonade on three occasions before Sasuke had figured out who was behind it and had proceeded to verbally tear them a new one. He hadn't screamed or threatened them, but the cold look on his face and his even chillier voice had left an impression on them. When he had finished and had started tugging Naruto away from them, telling him they would get him a new uniform, Naruto had spotted several of the girls crying and looking utterly miserable and heartbroken.

Rather vindictively, Naruto had thought they had got what had been coming to them.

Some other guys had attempted to bully him for being together with Sasuke as well. They hadn't dared to target the Uchiha heir, but Naruto had been fair game for them – until they had realised they would not only be taking on Naruto, but also Gaara and Sasuke himself. Even Rock Lee had been there, announcing that nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of people who were in the spring of their youth! Whatever the hell that meant. Rock Lee was an okay guy, though, once you were able to look past the fact that he always wore a green jumpsuit, kept blabbering about the spring of youth to which Gai-sensei was all too happy to join in with, and he was even more energetic than Naruto – a feat the blond hadn't thought was possible to be honest.

Some guys had still tried to get him afterwards, but when those guys had ended up in the hospital with several injuries, word quickly had spread out that nobody was to fuck with Naruto or suffer the consequences. Gaara, especially, had delighted in letting everyone know that particular fact.

Before the people at school, Itachi had been the first one to officially know about them. It turned out that he not only had had a conversation with Naruto, but with Sasuke that day as well, and it hadn't come as a surprise to him when they told him about it a couple of days later. Of course with that support came the occasional teasing remark or even some condoms slipped into their pockets with the message to stay safe – or at least not cause a mess. That particular note had had Naruto spluttering, his face tomato red, while Sasuke had snarled and promised to get his brother back for the shit he had pulled.

Naruto's psychologist, Kakashi, knew about them too. A couple of sessions after the confession, he had commented that Naruto looked happier and the blond hadn't been able to resist and had excitedly told him about his new relationship – only belatedly realising that Kakashi might be one of those people who were against it. The older man hadn't looked perturbed or disgusted at all, though, and had merely smiled, telling Naruto he was happy for him.

"You ready?" Sasuke murmured, flicking his eyes towards the blond next to him.

Naruto took a deep breath; his hands clammy in his pockets. "Yeah, let's go," he mumbled; his legs feeling like rubber when they entered the study where both their parents were currently discussing something.

It was only Itachi's reassurance that they could crash at his place should this discussion go wrong – "But it won't, Naruto-kun, trust me. Mother and father won't mind." – that kept Naruto from bolting out of the room when Mama Mikoto looked up with a distracted smile.

"Yes, something you need?"

Blue eyes met dark ones and they shared a meaningful glance, asking each other silently whether they were truly ready.

Now or never. Naruto took a deep breath and said, "Yeah, we have something to tell you."

* * *

It turned out that Itachi – as usual – was right.

After the initial shock, Mama Mikoto had been quick to reassure them she didn't mind who they liked, as long as they were happy. Papa Fugaku had had a blank look on his face, which had worried Naruto. Mama Mikoto had always been more relaxed and less stern than her husband; if anyone would have issues with whom his sons fell in love with, it would be him. He had been raised rather traditionally after all.

Imagine both boys' utter and complete shock when Papa Fugaku had nodded and merely scolded them for not informing them about it sooner. That was quickly followed by insisting they would be careful and assuring them they could come to either him or Mama Mikoto if they had any questions.

Naruto preferred to never have that kind of conversation with either one of them again – once was more than enough, thank you very much – but he very much appreciated the sentiment.

"So you're not angry?" he asked uncertainly, studying their faces sharply. They weren't ones to lie, but in this case …

Mama Mikoto shook her head with a smile and came forwards to hug him. He had had a couple of growth spurts since he had come to live with them and at the moment his head reached a bit past her shoulder. "Oh sweetheart, we would never be angry at you for that. You like who you like and that's it. As long as you two are happy, it doesn't matter."

If some tears escaped and dampened her sweater as he hugged her back tightly, well, nobody had to know.

* * *

At seventeen years and three months old Naruto lost his virginity to Sasuke.

They had been together for almost two years at that point and while some classmates had spitefully claimed they wouldn't last, things were still great between them and that wouldn't change anytime soon.

They had been messing around for a while now; giving each other hand jobs and blowjobs, figuring out what they liked and didn't like. Sasuke loved it when Naruto spent a long time kissing his neck, but teasing his nipples did nothing for him, except bore him and pester the blond in touching him somewhere else.

Likewise Naruto was oddly ticklish in his sides and the couple of times Sasuke had accidentally grazed his hands there, he had been greeted by a kick against his legs and Naruto squirming away, trying to keep his laughter under control as he apologised to the dark haired boy.

But in those two years of being together, they hadn't gone all the way yet. At the beginning it was a matter of not feeling ready yet, but as the months passed by and they grew more comfortable around each other, it became no longer a matter of feeling ready but of _finding the right moment._

Naruto didn't want their first time to be rushed, worrying that they would be caught at any moment. Sure, their parents hadn't had set any rules for them when it came to sharing the bed – they seemed to trust they were mature enough – but that didn't mean Naruto wanted to have sex while they were _still in the same house_.

That was just … No. Definitely, absolutely not happening.

A hotel seemed too impersonal and besides, the thought of the amount of people who had already been in that bed, doing the same thing they wanted to do … Yeah no, even with the rooms and beds being cleaned regularly, the thought of renting a room didn't sit well with him.

They could hardly use Itachi's apartment either, because … Well, that was just weird.

So that left them with trying to decide whether they would risk the chance of having sex while their parents were sleeping, but they could never decide, because they weren't ready to take the risk.

Until now.

To celebrate their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, Mama Mikoto and Papa Fugaku had taken off time from work to travel to Paris for three days and celebrate their anniversary there. Both being seventeen years old, their parents trusted them enough to let them stay at home alone – though Itachi had been asked to drop in every day just in case.

Still, for three whole days and three nights they had the house basically alone for themselves and the moment the front door closed behind their parents and the car started and drove away, butterflies started racing in Naruto's stomach and he swallowed; his fingers tingling.

Itachi had texted Sasuke to let him know he wouldn't show up today; something to do with his thesis still needing some work and a meeting with one of his professors. That meant they would be _alone_ until at least tomorrow morning.

"So," Sasuke drawled, still leaning against the staircase with his arms crossed. He was wearing a loose, black sweater of which the neckline dipped low enough to give a view of his collarbones and a pair of dark jeans, which frankly Naruto loved on him, because they clung to his legs in all the right places. "You want to play some videogames?" His eyes glinted mischievously; a smirk dancing around the corners of his mouth.

Naruto huffed and strode towards him, snatching his wrist and tugging him along, up the stairs to the nearest bedroom – which was Sasuke's. "You know damn well what I want," he muttered, shoving Sasuke inside and closing the door behind them.

The other boy shrugged, looking smug. "You could have changed your mind," he pointed out lightly, remaining in the middle of the room.

"We've been waiting for this for a couple of months already," Naruto complained, stalking closer to his boyfriend. "No way am I giving up this opportunity!"

"So impatient," was all Sasuke could utter before his lips were caught in a deep kiss, a tongue slipping inside to curl around his own.

They stood there kissing for a while; their arms wrapped loosely around each other. Sasuke was still a bit taller than him, so Naruto had to tilt his head back a bit as their mouths met and separated over and over again; the slick sounds of their mouths moving the only noise in the room.

Hands landed on his hips and started pushing him back slowly. He followed, nearly stumbling a couple of times, but then the back of his legs hit the bedframe and he let himself fall down on the mattress. Somehow he managed to shuffle backwards, all the while still keeping his mouth connected to Sasuke's, and the dark eyed boy followed closely, slipping between his spread legs.

They pulled back when oxygen became a necessity and spent a moment studying each other, while their chests heaved; their warm breath mingling with each other. On an unspoken cue, they both started fumbling with their clothes, pulling off sweaters and working their way out of their jeans. Their clothes got unceremoniously dumped on the floor, joined by their socks, and then they stilled, only their underwear separating them from being completely naked.

It wasn't as if this would be the first time that they would see each other naked; they had been naked together several times before. This time was completely different, though, because they would go all the way now, no holding back anymore, and that made the air between them charged with something different than usual.

Sasuke's right hand lingered on Naruto's left hip. His eyes glittered brightly when he asked, "All the way?"

Naruto swallowed, the butterflies in his stomach going wild, but he nodded. "All the way," he croaked out.

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow, but leant over towards his nightstand where he had hidden the bottle of lubrication and the package of condoms they had bought a week ago. When no protest of Naruto came, he opened the drawer and grabbed both items, dropping them next to them on the bed.

Naruto released a measured breath, taking in the items – the light blue bottle and the string of shiny, silver foil packages – sharply. Yes, he was ready and he wanted this, but he still felt a bit nervous. Realisation was sinking in that this was it, they were finally going to do this for real now, and he forced himself to take a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Hey." Fingers tapped against his left cheek and he blinked, torn out of his thoughts. Sasuke was still sitting up, towering over Naruto, who laid flat on his back, and Sasuke pursed his lips together. "I'm here, okay. We can stop anytime you want."

Naruto furrowed his eyebrows and snaked his legs high around Sasuke's waist, thumping his foot against Sasuke's arse until the young man buckled and crumbled down with a grunt, only catching himself just on time with his elbows braced on the mattress. Dark eyes scowled down into shining blue ones.

"What the hell was that for, you idiot?" Sasuke questioned irritated, looking close to slapping Naruto upside his head.

"We can stop anytime you want too," Naruto huffed, winding his arms around Sasuke's shoulders.

Dark eyes rolled in exasperation. "The things you like to fight over," he sighed and kissed Naruto again before the blond could come up with a reply.

They shared several heated kisses, while their hands trailed over each other's chest, caressing and stroking and rubbing, while their hips started moving against each other in a lazy rhythm. It was enough to keep them both excited, but the pressure wasn't strong enough for either one of them to blow their load too soon. Still their underwear grew damp soon and the occasional moan escaped them when they lingered against each other, longer and longer each time.

Panting, Naruto brought out, "These – these need to go off." Impatiently he tugged on Sasuke's black boxers and Sasuke pulled back, breathing heavily.

"These too," Sasuke agreed, voice rough, pulling on the waistband of Naruto's own boxers and then they were scrambling to get them off, throwing them somewhere on the floor.

Now they were naked. Completely. _Oh fuck_.

Naruto knew it shouldn't affect him this much – they had seen each other naked a bunch of times before after all – but still for some reason his breath got punched out of him when he took in the sight of his boyfriend's slender, pale, but most importantly naked body sitting right in front of him. His cock looked flushed and the wet sheen of pre cum glistened on the tip of it and holy crap, _that would go inside of him now_. Would that even fit?!

"You're thinking too hard," Sasuke scolded him, rolling his eyes, and then he was pressing against Naruto's shoulders, pushing him back down on the bed.

Blue eyes rolled back when their cocks brushed against each other and a throaty groan left him, as he subconsciously pressed himself closer, closing Sasuke's thighs between his own.

"See? Just stop thinking and everything will be fine," Sasuke muttered, closing the gap between their mouths again, rolling his hips against Naruto's.

No doubt their lips would be quite swollen and red by the time they stopped, but Naruto couldn't find it in him to care about that. His entire world now was narrowed down to _this_ : him, Sasuke, the bed, finally getting to do what they had been longing for, for the past couple of months already.

Lips started pressing open mouthed kisses on Naruto's chest; a tongue peeking out and circling around his nipples for a moment, turning them into hard nubs, before the mouth moved lower, dipping in his bellybutton briefly, which had Naruto inhaling sharply; his left leg jerking a bit.

Featherlight touches teased his own hard cock and he whined lowly, canting his hips higher to encourage the other one to grip him tighter. The glint in those dark eyes told him he wouldn't get anything firmer and he pouted, glaring weakly at his boyfriend.

"If you're going to touch me, at least do it seriously," he complained and then his breath hitched and his nails accidentally ranked up Sasuke's back when those devious fingers slipped lower; the tips of them resting against his entrance.

"But I am touching you seriously," Sasuke smirked, breathing across dark rose, hardened nipples.

A shiver danced over the blond's spine and his legs fell open on each side of Sasuke, baring himself for the older boy. "Not serious enough yet," he muttered, glancing away embarrassed when dark eyes deepened.

"Guess I'll have to rectify that, hm?" The sound of a cap being flicked open followed his words swiftly and the hand at Naruto's arse disappeared briefly.

When blue eyes flickered towards Sasuke, the other one was coating his digits in the clear, gel like liquid. They glistened in the light and the bottle was closed by Sasuke's other hand before being pushed to the side again. Sasuke returned his attention at the boy underneath him and raised an eyebrow, lifting his fingers a bit higher in the air.

"Can I?"

Naruto nodded, opening his legs a tad wider. Sasuke adjusted his pose a bit, so that he could still reach Naruto's mouth while at the same time working his fingers inside of him. This, they had done a couple of times before, and so Naruto knew to relax his muscles when the first digit pressed against his entrance. It slipped in without too much trouble, past his rim, and rubbed alongside his inner walls. Sasuke spent some time working it in and out, loosening him slightly, as they exchanged breathless kisses, nipping and licking across each other's lips.

He exhaled slowly when a second finger was added. This was adding a bit more pressure and he wiggled around slightly, getting used to the intrusion.

Sasuke paused, pulling back from their kiss to look at him carefully. At Naruto's quick grin, he started moving his fingers again, spreading them slightly to open up the blond. The digits sank in smoothly, Naruto's body adjusting to them quickly, and for a while nothing else was heard but the quiet 'slick, slick' sounds as Sasuke moved and spread his fingers, and the wet noise of their mouths meeting again and again, accompanied by a muffled moan whenever fingertips brushed against that particular sweet spot deep inside the blond.

Naruto couldn't help but tense slightly when a third finger joined the others, the pressure increasing. They rested inside of him, not moving for the moment, while Sasuke moved his mouth from his cheek to his ear, tugging at his earlobe with his teeth, which sent a spark through Naruto's system and had him holding his breath.

"Relax," Sasuke breathed in his ear and after a moment Naruto nodded, forcing himself to relax his muscles.

It took him longer to get used to the intrusion this time, feeling oddly full, but soon he was languidly moving his hips in sync with Sasuke's fingers; sparks lighting up his nerve system every time those slender digits sank in deeper and pressed against his hidden spot. Sasuke was sucking and nibbling on a particular spot in his neck and the blond knew he would be walking around with a serious hickey for days after this.

Well, it wouldn't be the first time he had to cover his neck to appear somewhat decent.

A noise of disappointment was torn out of him when those fingers retreated and his hole clenched around the sudden emptiness. He was breathing rapidly and he blinked, feeling hot all over.

Sasuke took his time opening the wrapper and putting the condom on. The torn wrapper was discarded next to the bed and when Sasuke looked up, Naruto noticed for the first time the flush reddening sharp cheekbones. A slick hand came to rest on his thigh, the thumb rubbing idly over his inner thigh.

"You ready?" Sasuke whispered and this time there was no hint of any teasing or challenge in his voice. He was serious now, letting the blond know there was still time to stop this if he wasn't sure.

Naruto had never been so sure before in his life as now. He stretched out his arms and locked his hands together around Sasuke's neck, pulling him down once more, letting his body cover his own.

"Yeah, I am," he breathed out and closed his eyes, pressing his mouth against Sasuke's at the same time his left leg was lifted and pressed upwards. He understood the silent hint and swung his legs upwards, wrapping them around Sasuke's hips.

He stopped breathing when the tip of Sasuke's cock rested against his stretched entrance and panic flashed up all of a sudden. Wait, what if it wouldn't fit after all? Three fingers seemed nothing compared to this and what if he got –

"Hey, Naruto? Look at me," Sasuke demanded and any other time Naruto would snap at him, telling him not to order him around like a lackey, but this time he did what he was told and looked right into glowing, dark eyes.

"It's just us," Sasuke muttered, retaining his gaze even as he started to sink forwards, pressing himself deeper into the blond inch by inch. "Just relax. You're doing fine."

Naruto started shivering for some reason and even as he tried to relax, there was still that slight burning sensation of being stretched too wide, too quick even if Sasuke was going as slowly as he could. Then Sasuke stopped moving, his hips flush against Naruto's arse cheeks and Naruto –

Felt full. Overwhelmed. A bit lightheaded even, but that might be because he was holding his breath again, damn it. His next exhale was shaky, blue eyes wide, as he tried to adjust to the peculiar, new sensation. It felt … weird to be honest.

"You okay?" Sasuke asked, sounding strained, and his jaw was set tightly; his hands curled into fists on either side of Naruto's head. He was slightly trembling too, as if it took everything in him not to move. Which it probably did, come to think of it.

Naruto blinked, concentrating for now on keeping his breathing even. "Y-yeah, just … Feeling a bit weird," he confessed honestly. "Not – not bad, though."

"Can I – can I move?" Even as he posed the question, he rolled his hips slightly, pressing himself even deeper inside the younger man – something Naruto hadn't thought was possible.

Naruto licked his lips and wrapped his arms tightly around Sasuke's shoulders, as if they were his anchor. "Y-yeah, you can."

"Oh thank fuck," Sasuke muttered relieved and his head dropped down on Naruto's shoulders as he pulled back slowly before thrusting forwards again with a grunt. "D-don't think I'm going to last long," he admitted chagrined.

"'S fine," Naruto muttered and then his mouth dropped open and he inhaled sharply when Sasuke shifted once more and the head of his cock brushed right against Naruto's prostate, sending bursts of pleasure through him, which overrode the slight ache building up in his lower back. "Do that again!" he demanded, latching onto the most sensitive spot in Sasuke's neck.

The dark haired boy shivered, his hips stuttering for a moment before he picked up his momentum again and started moving quicker, doing his best to keep aiming for that particular spot that had Naruto moaning in his ears and nails digging down in his shoulder blades.

Overwhelmed by the new sensations, the feeling of fullness, of feeling connected to Sasuke in this manner, of bolts of pleasure sparking through his system every time Sasuke managed to hit that spot _just right_ … It didn't take long for the pleasure to start building up rapidly, filling his lower belly with a warm glow; warmth which steadily spread out through the rest of his body.

Sasuke snaked his tongue inside right at the same moment he thrusted forwards sharply and that was all it took. The next moment Naruto was arching his back, garbling something incomprehensible as he soaked both their stomachs with his seed; pleasure wrecking his body and white brightness filling the back of his closed eyelids.

Sasuke grunted and he started moving even faster before he suddenly stilled and buried his face in Naruto's neck, panting against the sweat slick skin as his hand clenched tightly around Naruto's hip, holding him securely against him.

They stayed connected for a little while longer as their breathing evened out and their heartrates calmed down again. Once they were no longer panting like they had just run the marathon, Sasuke pulled away, slipping out of Naruto carefully. He discarded the used condom into the bin and staggered his way back into the bed, where Naruto had shifted to the side a bit, still feeling hypersensitive. They cleaned their stomachs with a shirt they found and then they snuggled together underneath the sheets, enjoying the afterglow.

Naruto sighed contently. "That was great," he admitted, drawing slow circles around Sasuke's left hipbone.

Sasuke hummed in agreement, sounding a bit tired when he mumbled, "I agree."

"You tired?"

"I could take a nap," he admitted begrudgingly, tightening his embrace around his boyfriend.

"Me too," Naruto sighed, but not even the slight ache in his lower back was enough to put a damper on the giddiness that filled him. _He and Sasuke had just had sex_. And it had been way better than Naruto had dared to imagine. "I love you," he hummed, pressing a soft kiss against Sasuke's shoulder, before laying his head down on it.

"Love you too," Sasuke muttered and there were lips briefly on Naruto's forehead.

Silence descended over them and they relaxed in each other's embrace. Sleep was calling out to him – sex was surprisingly exhausting – but before he gave in, he couldn't help but ask, "We're doing this again soon, right?"

All he got was a groan, but fingers tightened around his waist and Naruto fell asleep with a grin on his face.

* * *

Naruto was twenty-two years old when he graduated as a child therapist.

The studies hadn't been easy. At times they had severely kicked his arse and there had been some moments where he had genuinely doubted himself, wondering whether he had what it took to succeed in these studies. But Sasuke had remained on his side, offering him silent – and sometimes verbal – support and somehow Naruto had managed to do it. It had taken many long nights of studying, many long days of attending classes, of writing papers and reports, of joining sessions with child therapists, of studying various methods and trying to determine which would fit better for him; exam periods which never seemed to want to end … Yes, it had been quite difficult at times, but his drive, his wish to help other children who were in a similar situation as the one he had been in, was enough to push him forwards, to get him through the gruelling hours of studying and meeting professors. He wanted to help children in need, who were troubled and needed help or guidance, and nothing was going to stop him.

And he had done it. In spite of some teachers claiming he wouldn't be able to handle the studies, that he would never succeed because his marks would never be good enough … Despite all that, he had graduated as third from his year, bursting with pride. There had also been that streak of vindictiveness, a fuck you to everyone who had ever doubted him.

Sasuke had graduated two years later, first of his year naturally, having decided to become a doctor and not work in the same company as his brother and father.

They bought their first apartment when they were twenty-five years old, having pooled some of their money together to find a good place. It was one on the fourth floor and they celebrated their first night living officially together with a lot of sex; the both of them excited at having a place of their own finally.

They loved their parents dearly, but well, there was something to be said to coming home to each other, making a home for themselves. This place was all their own and they were damn proud of it. For Naruto, though, it didn't matter where they lived, because – as cheesy and corny as it sounded – wherever Sasuke was, was home for him.

That would never change.

* * *

Gravel crunched underneath the tires as the car slowed down to a stop, parking right underneath the shade of a large cherry tree. The radio was shut off, followed by the car's motor. Seatbelts were unfastened and the two men stepped out of the car.

Naruto shielded his eyes from the sun, studying the building in front of him silently. He hadn't set foot here in twenty-five years and it felt odd to be back here now after all this time. Not bad odd, though. A good odd.

His husband of eight years walked around the car, coming to a halt next to him. He slipped his arm around Naruto's waist and regarded him with intense eyes.

"You ready for this?" Sasuke asked, looking expectantly at the blond man.

The wind carried the sound of children's laughter towards them and Naruto relaxed, a smile unfolding on his face as he linked their hands together.

"Yeah, let's do this," he said determined, anticipation lingering in the pit of his belly, and together they followed the path to the front door, passing a few discarded toys.

They were thirty-four years old now, married for eight years, and they were both ready for the next stage in their life.

Today they would expand their family.

Twenty-five years ago the Uchiha had given Naruto a family of his own. Now it was _his_ time to give a child a family of his or her own.

The door opened and they stepped inside, ready for the next step in their lives.

_Together._

Like they had been from the beginning and would be until the very end. Nothing would ever change that.

**The End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: So we finally reached the end of this story. I hadn't expected it to grow this long, but well, I guess I should be used to stories taking a life of their own.
> 
> Again I apologise for the long wait; it was never my intention to make you all wait so long. I hope this long chapter made up for it!
> 
> For the last time, please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
> 
> I hope to see you all back in my future stories!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa

**Author's Note:**

> AN2: So this is the first part; what do you think of it? Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me!
> 
> I'll try to have the next part out as soon as possible :)
> 
> See you all hopefully in the second part!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


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